Nigeria’s iconic documentary photographer, cultural anthropologist, and author, Mr. Dayo Adedayo, has been named and crowned Africa’s Best Tourism Photographer for 2026 at the just-concluded African Tourism Awards in London.
The Africa Tourism Awards 2026 (also known as The Balearica Awards) took place on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at the Hilton London Canary Wharf in the United Kingdom. Held ahead of the World Travel Market (WTM) London, the prestigious event brought together industry leaders, policymakers, media professionals, and operators to celebrate excellence, innovation, and sustainability across African tourism and its wider diaspora.
Findings show that the judging structure combined public voting (20%) with evaluations from a professional jury (40%) and the Balearica Awards College (40%).
Adedayo’s award was presented by Ada Xu, Director of International Affairs at Fliggy—the travel arm of China’s Alibaba Group. His son, Babatunde Adejimi Adedayo, had the honour of receiving the trophy on his father’s behalf in London.
Expressing deep gratitude to God for the recognition, Adedayo noted that it came after “over four decades behind the lens, capturing the breathtaking beauty, rich culture, and extraordinary heritage of Nigeria.”
According to him the honour was more than words could express. He expressed heartfelt appreciation to everyone who believed in him and supported his journey.
”This is not just my victory. It is a victory for Nigeria, for African tourism, and for the power of photography to tell our stories. The journey continues. The best is yet to come,” he stated.
A number of other Nigerian businesses, cultural institutions, and media professionals also secured prominent awards during the event. They include: Tourism Attraction of the Year: Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos.
Travel Agency of the Year: Finchglow Travels. Online Travel Agency of the Year: WAKANOW and Young Tourism Personality of the Year.award which was given to Ibrahim Makanjuola
Several other awards were given out at the event to deserving businesses and individuals from across the African continent.
About Dayo Adedayo
An indigene of Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State, Adedayo attended Westminster College, UK, and the University of Westminster, UK, where he studied Photographic Arts following his initial studies at the Institute of Agricultural Research & Training (IAR&T), Obafemi Awolowo University, where he bagged a Diploma in General Agriculture.
To his credit, he has archived millions of images documenting landscapes, heritage sites, and communities across all 36 states and 774 local government areas in Nigeria.
His photographs are featured on iconic symbols, including the Nigerian e-Passport, the ₦100 Centenary Banknote, and the Centenary Monopoly Board. He also established the Dayo Adedayo Photography (DAP) Experience Centre in Lagos, a public cultural hub featuring photographic displays, studio facilities, a library, and a café.
Some of his selected publications include:Nigeria 2.0 (2015), Tour Nigeria (2018), Lagos State: The Centre of Excellence (2019), Ogun State: The Gateway State (2020), Window Seat (2024), Nigeria – A Timeless Beauty (2025) and Nigeria – A Visual Portrait (2026)
